Hailing out of St. Louis, Missouri,
Mike Zito's immersion into music started at the very young age of 5, an
age when he not only started singing, but also performing. Mike's love for
guitar also started at a young age, with the catalyst being him receiving
a Van Halen record for one of his birthdays, which along with the good
fortune of having a popular guitar shop which attracted greats such as
Chuck Berry, to name a few, Mike, now fresh out of high school, was
starting to develop a his own style of playing.

Mike Zito's hit the St.Louis music
scene at the age of only 19, further intensifying not only his Guitar
style, but also his singing, songwriting and stage presence. Mike's first
few albums were not far off, with the 1996 release of “Blue Room”
"which included raw and funky songs “Hollywood” and “Pull the
Trigger”", and his 1999 Sophomore release “America’s Most Wanted”, an
album which "his pop sensibilities and intense guitar work".
"America’s Most Wanted" was also the album in which Mike first tried out
his songwriting skills.

With all the good things fame was
bringing, Mike Zito also found he was being dragged down with some of
fames darker side, which included, "a crazed schedule and
lifestyle, drugs and alcohol" that "took their effect
on him". Wise words, from Walter Trout, whom had been down that dark
road himself, and the meeting of the woman who would later become his
wife, had the needed effect, and Mike was eventually able to turn his life
around and point it in the right direction. Now with the necessary real
life experiences, Mike Zito was able to truly grow as an artist,
especially a singer and songwriter. Continued honing of his craft came
from not only being influenced by many of the greats music, but by also
having the opportunity to perform, as well, with many greats, such as,
"Chuck Berry, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Tab Benoit, Walter Trout, Bernard
Allison, Coco Montoya, Joe Bonamassa and many more". "Greyhound",
Mike Zito's 10th Album overall and his 3rd release for Eclecto Groove
Records, continues to show us all, that he has no intention of slowing
down on the road that will certainly, one day, take him to legendary
status.

Referred to as Bluesy Americana,
"Greyhound" consists of 11 Tracks, of which Mike Zito is credited with
writing 9 and co-writing 2, one with Gary Nicholson ("Judgment
Day") and one with Anders Osborne ("Show Me The Way"). In addition to Mike
Zito doing Vocals and Guitar, he is joined by Carl Dufrene (Bass/Vocals),
Brady Blade (Drums/Vocals), and Anders Osborne (Guitar/Back-Up Vocals).
Anders Osborne, whom also happens to be a "Grammy Award winning
guitarist/singer/songwriter" also produced "Greyhound" and as such,
continues his work with Mike Zito, as he did with Mike's 2 previous
releases.

With "Greyhound", Mike Zito once
again stays close to not only his roots, which are buried deep in
Americana, but also close to his passion as a storyteller and songwriter.
Gifted as he is, when it comes to the Guitar, Mike Zito does not allow
that to be his focal point with his music. It is the songs that he sings
and the intensity and honestly in which he sings them, that has defined
and continues to define Mike as an artist. Mike Zito is able to search
deep inside himself and come up with material that although, it is part of
his personal journey, it still is able to strike a chord as being
something that a few of us have also experienced and if we have not
experienced, we still are able to understand.

"Greyhound" was just packed with
favorites for me and really was joy to listen. It surely is not an
album that one could easily stop listening to fully, once it is started.
From the gritty determination of the vocals on the title
Track "Greyhound", one which gave me a vague similarity to Jackson
Browne's "Running On Empty", to the heart string pulling last Track "Hello
Midnight", Mike Zito simply bares his soul and his love of music and in
doing so, he captivates us into the realm of his shear honesty of
craft.

Like a bus that never really stops,
"Greyhound" shows us that the path Mike Zito has chosen, is far from over
and continues to build excitement for what lies ahead for the many fans he
has added and continues to attract, on his journey.

"Greyhound" gets my highest rating of
5*****. A superb album, certainly equal to an perhaps better then any of
his previous work. Highly Recommended and Thoroughly Enjoyed...

Review by John Vermilyea (Blues
Underground Network)

Additional Info

Tracklist

1. Roll on 4:062. Greyhound
5:003. Judgment Day 5:444. Show Me The Way 4:145. The Hard Way
4:326. Motel Blues 3:547. Stay 5:318. Until The Day I Die
4:159. Hello Midnight 3:5210. The Southern Side 3:5911.
Please, Please, Please
5:25